Changes

"He was snake bit," said former [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] Senate President Donald Elliott Hines (1933-2019) of Bunkie in Avoyelles Parish, a physician who for eight years sat behind Bean in the Senate. "As soon as he got over one problem he'd have another one. But I never heard him complain one time. He met adversity and then went on with it and never let it affect his personal outlook or his demeanor or his relationship with anybody."​

"He was snake bit," said former [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] Senate President Donald Elliott Hines (1933-2019) of Bunkie in Avoyelles Parish, a physician who for eight years sat behind Bean in the Senate. "As soon as he got over one problem he'd have another one. But I never heard him complain one time. He met adversity and then went on with it and never let it affect his personal outlook or his demeanor or his relationship with anybody."​

In 2001, Bean collapsed just outside the Senate chambers. He'd taken medication that knocked his blood pressure down to zero, said Hines who, along with others, revived Bean with CPR before emergency medical help arrived.​<ref name=klsa/>

In 2001, Bean collapsed just outside the Senate chambers. He'd taken medication that knocked his blood pressure down to zero, said Hines who, along with others, revived Bean with CPR before emergency medical help arrived.​<ref name=ksla/>

===Bean and Don Kelly===

===Bean and Don Kelly===

In 2003, the Louisiana Senate gave the ailing Bean a standing ovation after his colleague Robert Jocelyn Barham of Oak Ridge in Morehouse Parish recalled the circumstances that led to Bean's health problems.​

In 2003, the Louisiana Senate gave the ailing Bean a standing ovation after his colleague Robert Jocelyn Barham of Oak Ridge in Morehouse Parish recalled the circumstances that led to Bean's health problems.​

During the Senate's farewell bid to Bean in 2003, Hainkel called Bean "the ultimate in courage." He referred not only to Bean's work to expand insurance coverage for transplant patients and to encourage organ donations, but also to May 1973, when Bean, then a U. S. Army chief warrant officer, was piloting Army One, the helicopter that carried the president.​

During the Senate's farewell bid to Bean in 2003, Senator John Hainkel called Bean "the ultimate in courage." He referred not only to Bean's work to expand insurance coverage for transplant patients and to encourage organ donations, but also to May 1973, when Bean, then a U. S. Army chief warrant officer, was piloting Army One, the helicopter that carried the president.​

Bean carried [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agents to the [[Bahamas]] to replace the crew assigned to then-President [[Richard M. Nixon]]; the helicopter developed problems and ditched in the water. Bean ingested jet fuel that brought about his later health problems. He continued to dive and saved six of the seven Secret Service agents.<ref name=ksla/>​

Bean carried [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agents to the [[Bahamas]] to replace the crew assigned to then-President [[Richard M. Nixon]]; the helicopter developed problems and ditched in the water. Bean ingested jet fuel that brought about his later health problems. He continued to dive and saved six of the seven Secret Service agents.<ref name=ksla/>​

Bean lost his only son, John E. Bean (1961-2000), the victim of a traffic accident. Sherri Buffington said that Bean didn't "break down" until after he left the hospital, where he'd been "trying to take care of John's children and his daughter-in-law … I think one of the most defining statements I ever heard him make was when we were driving away and he was crying," said Buffington, after talking of how close the father and son were. "He said, 'I have to remember that for forty years I've had what some people never have in a lifetime.' That's Ron. He was always able to take a negative and make something positive out of it."​

Bean lost his only son, John E. Bean (1961-2000), the victim of a traffic accident. Sherri Buffington said that Bean didn't "break down" until after he left the hospital, where he'd been "trying to take care of John's children and his daughter-in-law … I think one of the most defining statements I ever heard him make was when we were driving away and he was crying," said Buffington, after talking of how close the father and son were. "He said, 'I have to remember that for forty years I've had what some people never have in a lifetime.' That's Ron. He was always able to take a negative and make something positive out of it."​

Bean's nephew, Adrian Johngene Bean, Jr. (1947-2006), was also a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He also flew helicopters offshore to oil rigs, and with his wife, Jan, owned and operated  Herby-K's Restaurant in Shreveport.  Adrian Bean was shot down three times while serving as a medevac pilot. In one mission in which he escaped, he and his crew were rescued  by an Army helicopter.<ref>{{cite web|url=

Bean's nephew, Adrian Johngene "John" Bean, Jr. (1947-2006), was also a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He also flew helicopters offshore to oil rigs, and with his wife, Jan, owned and operated  Herby-K's Restaurant in Shreveport.  Adrian Bean was shot down three times while serving as a medevac pilot. In one mission in which he escaped, he and his crew were rescued  by an Army helicopter.<ref>{{cite web|url=

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?pid=18714877|title=Adrian Johngene "John" Bean, Jr.|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 1, 2006|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref>

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?pid=18714877|title=Adrian Johngene "John" Bean, Jr.|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 1, 2006|accessdate=December 31, 2020}}</ref>